Anonymous buyer snaps up Egelston pedestrian bridge for $1

FileEGELSTON TOWNSHIP -- The pedestrian bridge that once provided schoolchildren safe passage over Apple Avenue is headed to a private residence in Alma.

"The township is a dollar richer today," said Egelston Township Supervisor Mike Thompson. "I sold a bridge."

Concerned about the safety of the seldom-used, 39-year-old structure, Thompson posted it for sale for $1 on the Michigan Townships Association Web site. The catch was that whomever bought it would have to pay to move it.

Mike Thompson, Egelston Township supervisorThompson said a local contractor read a Chronicle article about the bridge last November and immediately called.

"He wanted to commit right then and there over the phone," Thompson said. "He said 'For a buck, I'll take it.'?"

Thompson wasn't prepared for such a quick sale and needed to get a legal contract written up. In the meantime, he heard from eight other interested buyers, including Laketon Township, Newaygo County's Croton Township, Ottawa County's Chester Township and the village of Sparta. However, none of their offers panned out.

Sparta Village Manager Sharon DeLange was excited about the prospect of using the bridge for the purpose it had originally been intended. She hoped schoolchildren could use it to cross over State Street. But Thompson said state officials had a say in the project because the road is a state highway, and they essentially killed the idea when they indicated the bridge would need to be handicapped accessible.

It wasn't until recently that township officials learned they had responsibility in maintaining the bridge. The township had entered into a contract with the Michigan Department of Transportation to build the bridge in 1971 to provide students safe access to Carr School.

The school no longer is used for elementary students, and township officials have expressed concern the bridge has become an eyesore and potential danger. When they approached the state about removing it, they were told it is the township's responsibility.

The contractor who purchased the bridge wished to remain anonymous, Thompson said. His plans are to use the bridge to access an island in a private pond.

He has until June 1 to remove the 88-foot span, and likely will wait until warmer weather, Thompson said.

The township had contacted Erickson's crane and trucking service about removing the structure, which is 20 feet high, and was quoted close to $20,000 to remove the steps and fencing and pick the bridge up in one piece and place it on a trailer.

The contractor will have added costs of transporting it to Alma.

While a municipality likely would not have been able to cut the bridge into pieces to move it -- out of concerns it could compromise the structure's integrity -- that likely is an option for the contractor, Thompson said.

The township has required he put up a $5,000 cash or surety bond to ensure he properly cleans up and finishes the removal process, Thompson said.

Thompson said he was surprised at how easy it was to sell the bridge.

"It's new territory for me, selling bridges," Thompson said. "Maybe I could sell the Golden Gate."